Cross connect system and tray

ABSTRACT

A fiber optic cross connect system comprising a case defining a tray receiving space and at least one tray slideable in and out of the space between a first closed position, a second intermediate position and a third open or accessible position and a sliding engagement between a sidewall of the case and a side edge of the tray is disclosed. The sliding engagement comprises an elongate link member which is stationary as the tray is moved between the first closed position and the second intermediate position and moves with the tray as the tray is moved between the second intermediate and the third open position and such that the elongate link member does not interfere with fiber optic cables which are interconnecting external devices with devices on the tray. In a particular embodiment the link member is held stationary by a releasable locking mechanism.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.16/376,072, which itself claims benefit of U.S. provisional applicationSer. No. 62/653,771 filed Apr. 6, 2018. All documents above areincorporated herein in their entirely by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cross connect system and tray. Inparticular, the present application relates a cross connect systemcomprising a plurality of slideable trays and a sliding engagementbetween a case housing the trays and each tray.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Optical cross connects are used in industries such as telecommunicationsto switch high-speed optical signals in a fiber optic network.Typically, fiber optic cassettes or splice boxes for such uses areremoveably arranged on tray systems within a rack mounted case. In orderto remove the trays from the racks for operational or maintenancepurposes, rail systems are provided to allow the trays to slide out,allowing users to perform work on the cassettes or splice boxes. Onedrawback of current systems is that the trays cannot be fully extendedout of the rack due to cable length and bend radius constraints. Whilepartial extension provides access to the connectors at the fronts of thecassettes or splice boxes, full extension would provide easy access tothe rear of the cassettes or splice boxes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to address the above and other drawbacks there is provided afiber optic system for connection to at least one external device. Thesystem comprises a case comprising two opposed side walls defining atray receiving space therebetween, a tray slideably received within thetray receiving space for receiving at least one device comprising afiber optic cable exiting a rearward side of the device and forinterconnecting the at least one device to the at least one externaldevice, the tray comprising a vertical side edge and a cable guidechannel comprising an exit in the vertical side edge and defining acable receiving passage between the exit and the rearward side of the atleast one device, the cable guide channel receiving the fiber opticcable for guiding at least a portion of the cable between the rearwardside of the at least one device and the at least one external device viathe exit, and a sliding engagement between the vertical side edge and anadjacent one of the sidewalls comprising an elongate link membercomprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, thefirst side mounted to the adjacent one of the sidewalls for slidingalong the sidewall and the vertical side edge mounted to the second sidefor sliding along the second side. The tray is moveable between a closedtray position wherein the tray is received within the tray receivingspace and an open tray position wherein the tray is in front of the trayreceiving space via an intermediate position where the tray is partly infront of the tray receiving space and further wherein the elongate linkmember is stationary as the tray is moved between the closed positionand the intermediate position and the elongate link member moves withthe tray as the tray is moved between the intermediate position and theopen position.

There is also provided a cross connect cassette system. The systemcomprises a case comprising two opposed side walls defining a trayreceiving space therebetween, a tray slideably received within the trayreceiving space for receiving a plurality of fiber optic cassettes sideby side, the tray slideable between a first tray position wherein thetray is within the tray receiving space, a second tray position whereinthe tray is extended partially in front of the tray receiving space anda third tray position wherein the tray is in front of the tray receivingspace, and a sliding engagement between each side wall and an adjacentside edge of the tray, at least one first sliding engagement comprisingan elongate link member comprising a first side mounted to the side wallfor sliding along the sidewall between a stationary position and anextended position and a second side, the side edge mounted to the secondside for sliding along the second side between a rearward position and aforward position, a first locking mechanism for securing the elongatelink member to the sidewall in the stationary position and a secondlocking mechanism for securing the elongate link member to the side edgein the forward position. By moving the tray away from the first trayposition towards the third tray position via the second tray positionthe side edge is moved away from the rearward position into the forwardposition disengaging the first locking mechanism and releasing theelongate link member from the retracted position and engaging the secondlocking mechanism and securing the elongate link member to the side edgein the forward position and for movement therewith and wherein by movingthe tray away from the third tray position towards the first trayposition via the second tray position the elongate link member is movedaway from the extended position into the stationary position and theside edge is moved away from the forward position towards the rearwardposition engaging the first locking mechanism and securing the elongatelink member in the stationary position while disengaging the secondlocking mechanism and releasing the side edge from the forward positionfor sliding along the second side.

Additionally, there is provided a slider comprising an elongate linkmember, a first elongate rail slideably mounted to the elongate linkmember for movement between a first position and a second position, asecond elongate rail slideably mounted to the elongate link member formovement between a third position and a fourth position, and a firstlocking mechanism for releasably securing the a first elongate rail tothe elongate link member in the first position and a second mechanismlocking for releasably securing the second elongate rail to the elongatelink member in the third position. Movement of the second elongate railinto the third position disengages the first locking mechanism therebyreleasing the first elongate rail from the first position and theelongate link member for movement towards the second position andengages the second locking mechanism thereby releasably securing thesecond elongate rail in the third position to the elongate link memberand wherein movement of the first elongate rail into the first positiondisengages the second locking mechanism thereby releasing the secondelongate rail from the third position and the elongate link member formovement towards the fourth position and engages the first lockingmechanism thereby releasably securing the first elongate rail in thefirst position to the elongate link member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 provides a right front perspective view of a cross connectsystem, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B provide right front perspective views of a cross connectsystem with trays in various extended positions, in accordance with anillustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 provides an exploded right front perspective view of a slidermechanism for a cross connect system in a first tray position, inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 provides an isolated cut left front perspective view of a slidermechanism for a cross connect system, in accordance with an illustrativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A provides an isolated right front perspective view of a slidermechanism for a cross connect system in a second tray position, inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5B provides an isolated sectional view along line VB-VB in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6A provides an isolated right front perspective view of a slidermechanism for a cross connect system in a third tray position, inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6B provides an isolated sectional view along line VIB-VIB in FIG.2B;

FIG. 7A provides a left front perspective view of locking and retentionmechanisms for a cross connect system, in accordance with anillustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7B provides a sectional view along line VIIB-VIIB in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 7C provides an isolated sectional view of the sectional view ofFIG. 7B;

FIG. 8A provides an isolated exploded view of an elongate link memberand locking assembly in accordance with an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 8B provides an isolated sectional view of a locking assembly inaccordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, a cross connect system, generally referred tousing the reference numeral 10, will now be described. The system 10comprises at least one slideable tray 12 illustratively mounted within acase 14. The case 14 comprises a top cover 16, a bottom wall 18 and apair of opposed sidewalls 20 defining a tray receiving space 22therebetween. The case 14 is illustratively mountable to the rails of arack (not shown) via a pair of mounting brackets 24 wherein one of thebrackets 24 is attached to an outer surface of a respective one of thesidewalls 20. The front edges of the top cover 16 and walls 18, 20define an opening via which the tray receiving space 22 can be accessed.In an embodiment, top cover 16 is removably attachable to the case 14via fasteners 26. Illustratively, each tray 12 is slideably positionablebetween a first closed tray position (A) where the tray 12 is within thetray receiving space 22, a second intermediate tray position (B) where aportion of the tray 12 is in front of the tray receiving space 22 and athird open tray position (C) where the tray 12 is positioned in front ofthe tray receiving space 22 and accessible, as will be discussed infurther detail below.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B in addition to FIG. 1, each tray 12receives a plurality of devices 28 such as removable fiber optic modulesor cassettes illustratively arranged side by side on an upper surface 30thereof. In an embodiment, each fiber optic device 28 is secured to thetray 12 using a fastener comprising tabs (not shown) of inverted “T”cross section which engage with respective slots 32 machined orotherwise formed in the tray 12. Each device 28 typically comprises aplurality of receptacle modules (not shown) arranged in a row along aforward edge of the device 28. Each cassette also terminates a fiberoptic cable 34, such as a trunk cable or the like, comprising aplurality of optic fibers at a rearward edge of the device 28. Cables 34exiting the rear of device 28 for connection to external devices (notshown) are directed to a cable guiding channel 36 on illustratively theleft side of the tray 12, where the cables 34 exit the tray and aredirected towards cable supports 38 mounted to the outside of a sidewall20.

Still referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, as discussed above the devices28 are illustratively fiber optic cassettes comprising a plurality ofoptic fibres (not shown) interconnecting each optic fiber of the fiberoptic cable 34 with a respective one of a plurality of receptacles (notshown) arrange along a front face of each of the fiber optic cassettes.The receptacles are illustratively configured for receiving acomplementary plug of one of a plurality of optic fibers (both notshown) in a cross connect configuration. The plurality of optic fibersenter the tray via a passageway 39 positioned at a side of the tray 12.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a side edge of each tray 12 is mounted to arespective sidewall 20 of the case 14 via a pair of sliding engagements,or sliders 40. At least one of the sliders 40 comprises a first elongaterail 42 attached to a sidewall 20, a second elongate rail 44 attached toa side of the tray 12, and an elongate link member 46 arranged inparallel to and slideably interconnecting the first elongate rail 42 andthe second elongate rail 44. The sliders 40 allow the tray 12 to slidein and out of tray receiving space 22 between the first closed trayposition wherein the tray 12 is fully recessed inside tray receivingspace 22, the second intermediate tray position wherein the tray 12 ispartially outside of tray receiving space 22, and the third open trayposition wherein the tray is fully outside of tray receiving space 22.

Referring now to FIG. 4 in addition to FIG. 3, an elongate link member46 comprising a T-shaped flexible latch 48 that is held inside a latchslot 50 in a respective sidewall 20 is provided. In the first trayposition the ends 52 of the latch 48 are each engaged by a respectiveone of a pair of wedge shaped features 54 which are illustrativelymoulded into the sidewall 20 to form a first locking mechanism, securingthe elongate link member 46 in place while the tray 12 is free to slidebetween first tray position and second tray position. As a result,between the first tray position and the second tray position, both thefirst elongate rail 42 and the elongate link member 46 are stationary,while the second elongate rail 44 is slideable along the elongate linkmember 46.

Referring now to FIG. 5A, as the tray 12 is slid to the second trayposition B, a second locking mechanism comprising a pair of opposedflexible tabs 56 on the elongate link member 46 are engaged by theforward edge 58 of the second elongate rail 44 and such that they aredeflected towards one another and slide along an inner surface of thesecond elongate rail 44. In this manner the second elongate rail 44 andelongate link member 46 are engaged with an increased friction but stillable to slide respective to one another.

Referring to FIG. 5B, as the second elongate rail 44 continues to beslid vis-à-vis the elongate link member 46, an abutment 60 on the leftedge of the tray 12 engages the flexible latch 48. The flexible latch 48flexes out of the path of the abutment 60 against the bias of theflexible stem 62 and such the ends 52 of the latch 48 clear the wedgeshaped features 54 releases the elongate link member 46 from the latchslot 50, thereby allowing the elongate link member 46 to slide relativeto the sidewall 20 from the second tray position to the third trayposition. Conversely, as the tray 12 is slid from the third trayposition to the second tray position, the ends 52 of the T-shaped latch48 slide up the angled outer surfaces 64 of the wedge shaped features 54against the bias of the flexible stem 58 until the wedge shaped features54 are cleared and the ends 52 of the T-shaped latch 48 are returnedinto the latch slot 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 6A and 6B, once the tray 12 is slid to the thirdtray position, a tab 66 engages a stop 68 preventing the tray 12 fromsliding any further away from the tray receiving space 22. With the tray12 in the third tray position, both the front and the rear of thecassettes 28 are easily accessible for operational and maintenancepurposes.

As a person of ordinary skill in the art will now understand, the stepsof sliding the tray 12 out of the tray receiving space 22 may berepeated in reverse to slide the tray 12 back into the tray receivingspace 22. Between the third tray position and the second tray position,the second elongate rail 44 and the elongate linking member 46 slidetogether as the tray 12 enters the tray receiving space 22. As discussedabove, as the tray 12 reaches the second tray position, the abutment 60on the side of the tray 12 releases the latching mechanism 48 and thelatching mechanism 48 re-enters the latch slot 50, thus fixing theelongate link member 46 in place and allowing the second elongate rail44 to slide along the elongate link member 46 as the tray further slidesin tray receiving space 22 towards the first tray position A.

Referring back to FIGS. 2A and 2B in addition to FIG. 6B, the slidingmechanism 40 ensures that each tray 12 exits the tray receiving space 22sufficiently before the elongate link member 46 is released from thefirst elongate rail 42 and may begin to slide along with the tray 12.Additionally, sliding mechanism 40 ensures that elongate link member 46completely enters the tray receiving space 22 before it reengages withthe first elongate rail 42 and allows the tray 12 to slide into the trayreceiving space 22 along elongate link member 46. This mechanism ensuresthat during movement of the tray 12 the fiber optic cables 34, which arereceived in the guiding channel 36 and directed towards the cablesupports 38, do not engage the sidewall 20 or elongate link member 46,which could otherwise damage or foul the movement of the fiber opticcables 34. In addition, sliding mechanism 40 ensures that the fiberoptic cables 34 maintain a substantially constant bend radius whenwrapping around the corner of the case 14 while minimizing the requiredlength of the fiber optic cables 34.

Referring now to FIGS. 7A to 7C in addition to FIG. 1, in order toretain the tray 12 in a fourth tray position D, an actuatable lock isprovided. The lock engages pair of angled walls 72 and a recess 74 toretain tray 12 in the fourth tray position whereby cassettes 28 areeasily accessible, for example for patching purposes. The actuatablelock comprises a plunger assembly 76 comprising a plunger 78 retained ina plunger housing 80. The plunger 78 is biased away from the housing 80by a spring (not shown). The plunger assembly 76 is moveable away fromthe sidewall 20 by a release mechanism comprising a slide 82 whichextends from a finger actuator 84 positioned towards the front of thetray 12 to the plunger assembly 76. The plunger assembly 76 is held suchthat it may move only laterally relative to the tray 12 but comprisesbevelled walls 86 which interact with bosses (not shown) on the releasemechanism 82. As the slide 82 is pulled forward, the bosses impart alateral force on the plunger mechanism 76 via the bevelled walls 86 andsuch that the plunger mechanism 76 is moved away from the sidewall 20and disengaged from the recess 74.

Still referring to FIGS. 7A to 7C, when the tray 12 is slid into thefourth tray position from either direction, the plunger 78 engages oneof the angled walls 72 and retracts into the plunger housing 80 againstthe bias of the spring. Once the angled wall 72 is cleared, the plunger78 is biased by the spring into the recess 74, locking the tray 12 intothe fourth tray position. To unlock the tray 12 from the fourth trayposition D and allow it to once again freely slide in and out of thetray receiving space 22, the finger actuator 84 is pulled, causing theslide 82 to move forward and the plunger assembly 76 to move laterally,freeing the plunger 78 from the recess 74.

Still referring to FIGS. 7A to 7C in addition to FIG. 1, each elongatelink member 46 further comprises a retention means for holding the tray12 in the first tray position whereby the tray 12 is within the trayreceiving space 22. In an embodiment, the retention means comprises anangled protrusion 88 requiring the tray 12 to be pulled with enoughforce to cause the plunger 78 to compress the spring and retreat intothe housing 80. As the protrusion 88 is angled on both of its sides, thesame amount of force is required to pull the tray 12 out of the firsttray position or to push the tray 12 into the first tray position.

Referring now to FIGS. 8A and 8B, in an alternative embodiment, thefirst locking mechanism comprises a push latch assembly 90 mounted formovement within an aperture 92 in the elongate link member 46. The pushlatch assembly 90 comprises a first latch part 94 comprising a pair offlexible fingers 96 each comprising a hooked end 98 which are insertedinto a second latch part 100. The pair of flexible fingers 96 engagerespective ones of a pair of opposed cutaways 102 in the second latchpart 100 thereby securing the first latch part 94 to the second latchpart 100. Prior to assembly a spring 104 is placed about second latchpart 100 and such that, when the push latch assembly 90 is assembled,the spring 104 biases the assembly. The second latch part 100 furthercomprises a T-shaped end 106 which is held within the latch slot 50. Inthe first tray position the tips 108 of the latch T-shaped end 106 areeach engaged by a respective one of the pair of wedge shaped features54.

Still referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, as will know be understood by aperson of ordinary skill in the art, as the tray 12 is moved into thesecond tray position B from the first tray position A, the abutment(reference 60 in FIG. 5A) engages the button-like end 110 of the firstlatch part 94. This forces the push latch assembly 90 to move laterallyagainst the bias of the spring 104 and the tips 108 of the T-shaped end106 out of the latch slot 50. The elongate link member 46 is thenreleased such that it can travel together with the tray 12. As the tray12 is moved into the second tray position B from the third tray positionC, the tips 108 of the T-shaped end 106 travel along the angled outersurfaces 64 against the bias of the spring 104 and once clearing thewedge shaped features 54 are moved into the latch slot 50 under bias ofthe spring 104.

While system 10 has herein been described as comprising trays 12 with aslider mechanism 40 on their left side and locking means 58 on theirright side, it is to be understood that a mirrored configuration mayalso be implemented. In an embodiment, mirrored systems 10 may be usedside by side to maximize spatial efficiency.

Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way ofspecific embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing fromthe spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in theappended claims.

1. A slider comprising: an elongate link member; a first elongate railslideably mounted to said elongate link member for movement between afirst position and a second position; a second elongate rail slideablymounted to said elongate link member for movement between a thirdposition and a fourth position; and a first locking mechanism forreleasably securing said a first elongate rail to said elongate linkmember in said first position and a second mechanism locking forreleasably securing said second elongate rail to said elongate linkmember in said third position; wherein movement of said second elongaterail into said third position disengages said first locking mechanismthereby releasing said first elongate rail from said first position andsaid elongate link member for movement towards said second position andengages said second locking mechanism thereby releasably securing saidsecond elongate rail in said third position to said elongate link memberand wherein movement of said first elongate rail into said firstposition disengages said second locking mechanism thereby releasing saidsecond elongate rail from said third position and said elongate linkmember for movement towards said fourth position and engages said firstlocking mechanism thereby releasably securing said first elongate railin said first position to said elongate link member.
 2. The slider ofclaim 1, wherein said first locking mechanism comprises a latch on saidelongate link member held within a slot on said first elongate rail andfurther wherein sliding said second elongate rail into said thirdposition forces said latch out of said slot thereby releasing said firstelongate rail from said first position.
 3. The slider of claim 1,wherein as said second locking mechanism comprises a friction fitbetween elongate link member and said second elongate rail when saidsecond elongate rail is in said third position.
 4. The slider of claim3, wherein as said second elongate rail slides from said third positiontowards said fourth position, said friction fit between said elongatelink member and said second elongate rail is disengaged.